Businesses now give AI tools their policies, figures and step-by-step guides. Each tool can want them in a different shape. In June 2026 Google Cloud published an open format to fix that, the Open Knowledge Format (OKF). Each piece of knowledge is a plain text file with a short labelled header at the top. A folder of these files is called a bundle. People can read it, and any AI tool can too.
The mistake most people make
They keep knowledge files with no source, no date and no status, so neither people nor the AI can tell which one is current.
“A distributor keeps two returns policy files in a shared folder. They asked the AI: 'How many days does a customer have to return goods?'”
“Customers have 30 days to return goods.”
How it works: the shipping container
Before the standard container, every cargo was packed differently: sacks, crates, jars. Each piece was loaded by hand. Then came the standard steel box. Any crane, lorry or ship could move it without opening it. OKF aims to be that box for knowledge. Every card has the same labelled header, so any tool knows where to find its type, its sources and its status.
What is on an OKF card
1. The header
A few labelled lines at the top of the file, between two lines of '---'. Only one label is required: 'type', a short word such as policy or metric. 'title' and 'description' are recommended.
2. Where it came from
'sources' lists the documents the card is based on. Each entry has a 'resource': a link or a file path.
3. Who wrote it and who checked it
'generated' records who or what wrote the card and when. 'verified' records who checked it and when. A person is written as 'human:' followed by a name or ID.
4. Is it still current
'status' is draft, stable or deprecated. 'stale_after' is the date after which the card needs checking again.
5. Links between cards
Cards link with ordinary links, such as '[Freight terms](/policies/freight-terms.md)'.
How to keep a bundle
Turn this document into a knowledge card in Google Cloud's Open Knowledge Format (OKF v0.2).
Here is the document:
"""
[Paste your policy, process note or business rule here]
"""
Where it lives: [link or file path of that document]
Write the card exactly in this shape:
---
type: [policy | metric | process | concept]
title: [short title]
description: [one sentence on what this card covers]
tags: [two or three short tags]
sources:
- resource: [link or file path given above]
title: [name of the document]
generated: { by: [name of the AI tool]/[version], at: [today, YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ] }
status: draft
stale_after: [a date I choose, YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z]
---
# [Title]
[One short paragraph on what this card covers.]
## Rules and figures
[Bullets or a table, using only what the document says]
## Related
[Two or three links to related cards, written as [Name](/folder/card-name.md)]
Rules:
1. Use only facts from the pasted document. Mark anything unclear or missing [CHECK].
2. Don't add a "verified" line. The person who checks the card adds it.
3. Leave status as draft.The AI drafts a card in the published format, with its source and an expiry date. It stays a draft until a named person checks it and marks it stable.
Working File Templates
Copy or save these plain text files to use directly in your workspace.
A production-ready Open Knowledge Format (v0.2) markdown card with verified attributes and metadata.
---
type: policy
title: Damaged Goods Credit Note Policy
description: Rules and timelines for issuing credit notes against damaged cargo in transit.
tags: [logistics, billing, credit-notes, claims]
sources:
- resource: internal/sop/claims-procedure-2026.pdf
title: Commercial Claims and Loss Mitigation Manual
generated: { by: gemini-pro/2.5, at: 2026-09-10T11:00:00Z }
verified: { by: human:priya.mehta, at: 2026-09-12T14:30:00Z }
status: stable
stale_after: 2027-03-31T00:00:00Z
---
# Damaged Goods Credit Note Policy
This policy governs the issuance of credit notes when tools or components arrive at customer premises with transit damages.
## Key Rules & Timelines
- Notice period: The buyer must report transit damages within 48 hours of lorry unloading.
- Required evidence: High-resolution photograph of the damaged carton showing the seal, plus lorry receipt (LR) copy signed with damage remarks.
- Credit ceiling: Maximum credit note value without director sign-off is ₹25,000.
- Processing window: Credit notes are issued within 5 working days following physical inspection or photo audit.
- Replacement priority: If replacement stock is available, dispatch occurs within 24 hours under a separate zero-value invoice.
## Related Policies
- [Standard Freight and Transport Terms](/policies/freight-terms.md)
- [Customer KYC and Credit Limits](/policies/customer-kyc.md)Additional Prompts for This Lesson
Tailored prompts for specific workflows and departments.
Audits any generated customer answer, proposal or email against an approved OKF knowledge card.
You are a compliance and fact-checking assistant. Here is the approved Open Knowledge Format card: """ [Paste the OKF markdown card here] """ Here is the draft communication prepared for a customer or partner: """ [Paste the draft email, message or proposal here] """ Your task: 1. Verify every number, deadline, policy rule, and condition mentioned in the draft against the OKF card. 2. Flag any statement in the draft that: - Contradicts the OKF card. - Promises something not explicitly permitted by the OKF card. - Quotes an expired or deprecated condition. 3. If errors are found, write an edited version of the draft that strictly conforms to the approved card. 4. If the OKF card status is not "stable" or if the current date is past "stale_after", warn me immediately.
Ensures AI-assisted customer communication never promises terms outside verified company policy.
Why does an OKF card carry 'status', 'stale_after' and 'verified' in its header?
Show the answer
So a person or an AI reading it can tell if it is current, when it needs checking again, and who checked it. That stops an old policy being used as if it were today's.